The Glens Falls City School District is proud to announce the Top 11 students in this year’s graduating class. Congratulations to the entire Class of 2023, and we’re looking forward to celebrating your accomplishments at this year’s commencement ceremony.
Clara Avery is this year’s Valedictorian. She is the daughter of Kevin and Jackie Avery of Glens Falls, and a candidate for the International Baccalaureate Diploma and New York State Seal of Biliteracy. She enjoys volunteering with school service clubs.
Outside of school, Clara served on the Adirondack Mountain Club’s volunteer trail maintenance crew and participated in HOBY as both an ambassador and a junior staff member. She plays the cello and participates in performance groups in and outside of school, including as principal cellist of the 2022 NYSSMA Area All-State orchestra. She is a three-season athlete and a four-time state Nordic skiing medalist.
Clara is a recipient of the Johnson Scholarship and plans to attend Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia.
Katherine Lieberth is this year’s Salutatorian. She is the daughter of Joy Smith and Michael Lieberth of Glens Falls. Throughout high school, Katherine has been a member of the cross country, swim, nordic skiing, and lacrosse teams. She served as the secretary of National Honor Society and the Co-Editor in Chief of the Glens Falls Insider. Katherine also participated in SoroptoMiss, International Club, and Mock Trial and competed on the Math Team.
She is an AP Scholar with Honor and a student in the International Baccalaureate program at Queensbury High School. Katherine was honored to receive the St. Lawrence Book Award, Presidential Award for Educational Excellence, and Adirondack Area School Boards Association Community Service Award.
In the fall, Katherine will be attending the University of Notre Dame, where she plans to study Economics and American Studies.
Julian Stedman is the son of Jaclyn Stedman and Jason Irwin of Glens Falls. He is a four-year member of the varsity cross-country, swim, and track teams. On the swim team, Julian is a top-ten all-time performer in multiple events. He was selected as the Section 2 Swimming Scholar Athlete and was a member of the team’s New York State Championship qualifying relay his senior year.
Julian is also a member of the high school’s Math Team, Quiz Team, and National Honor Society. He has had artwork accepted into the Hyde Juried High School Art Exhibition, and received the Rensselaer Medal. Outside of school, Julian is an altar server at Saint Mary’s Church in Glens Falls and is involved in his parish’s youth ministry group.
Julian plans to pursue a Mathematics major at the University of Notre Dame.
Claire Seleen is the daughter of Kirstin Seleen and Dorothy “DJ” Evans of Glens Falls. She has been swimming at the varsity level since 7th grade, serving as captain of the Glens Falls Varsity Swim Team her senior year.
Claire is a member of the National Honor Society and has participated in the Glens Falls High School Newspaper Club all four years of High School, serving as co-editor for the past two years. She has participated in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme offered through Queensbury High School for her junior and senior years and, while attending Queensbury High School, has been a member of the Vex Robotics Club and Seeing Blue Literary Magazine, a student publication. In the summertime she works as a lifeguard at Moreau State Park and during the winters, as a ski instructor at Gore Mountain.
Claire will attend Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences in the fall of 2023.
Eloise Duggal is the daughter of Dave and Jennifer Duggal of Glens Falls. Eloise has been extremely active in her school and community. She has held the leadership roles of Student Council President, and Student Representative on the School Board. In addition to student government, she competed on the math team, and participated in astronomy club and mock trial. She played varsity soccer, and lacrosse for Glens Falls. As a junior, Eloise was inducted into the National Honor Society, and has been a devoted member ever since.
In the community, Eloise has volunteered as a soccer camp counselor multiple times, and has fulfilled numerous service hours through Key Club and NHS. Outside of school, Eloise works at the Lake George Barnsider as a waitress, and loves to do yoga in her free time.
Eloise will attend Virginia Tech next year, where she plans to pursue Operations Research.
Hilary Burns is the daughter of Leslie Balcom of Glens Falls and Jacob Burns of Lake Placid. She has been very active in her school and community, putting both first in many aspects of her life.
Hilary is an AP scholar, as well as the Treasurer of National Honor Society, and a member of both the Math Team and Yearbook Club. As a junior, she was awarded the Clarkson University High School Achievement Award. Hilary helped to organize and run the American Red Cross Blood Drive for two years and supported the backpack program with her mother at Argyle Central School, aiding food insecure families.
Hilary played varsity volleyball for three years and was a captain for two of those. As a junior, she was named second team Foothills Council All-Star for volleyball and as a senior, she was named to the first team. She also enjoyed participating in varsity lacrosse. Hilary was a member of the North Country Horses equestrian team for both dressage and hunt seat, and competed for her teams at regionals. She enjoys spending time with her animals, especially her horse Iroquois, as well as hanging out with her friends.
Hilary will attend North Carolina State University to study Animal Science and Pre-Veterinary Medicine.
Sophie Campopiano is the child of Cindy and Kevin Campopiano of Glens Falls. They have been a member of NHS since junior year and are a part of the Math Team, International Cub, and played the viola in Strolling Strings and Orchestra.
In the beginning of the school year, Sophie was the Girls’ Varsity Tennis team’s third singles player and was the team’s highest scoring player. As a sophomore, they entered the Olympics of the Visual Arts Competition and won first place in the architecture category. During junior year, they were awarded the Leadership Scholarship and the Colonel Emerging Leader Award.
This fall, Sophie will attend Binghamton University for Environmental Science and Psychology.
Dorothy France Miller is the daughter of Christine France of Glens Falls, New York, and Wade Miller of Steamboat, Colorado. She has always been dedicated to academics, and she is both an AP Scholar with Honors and a full IB Diploma student. Additionally, she is a recipient of the Presidential Award for Academic Excellence.
Dorothy is a National Honor Society Member, as well as the President of National Art Honor Society, CFO of the Spartan Scoop, President of Art Club, editor and secretary of Queensbury’s Art and Literary Magazine, “Seeing Blue,” and a member of Best Buddies International, Book Club, and the Crandall Public Library Teen Group. She has also performed in two musicals in high school.
In addition to school based groups, Dorothy enjoys civic action and has spoken on the Million Dollar Staircase in the New York State Capitol as a Student Advocate for Kyra’s Champions, a youth advocacy group dedicated to NYS family court reform. She currently works part-time as a gymnastics instructor at the Glens Falls YMCA, and she seasonally instructs ski lessons and programs at Gore Mountain in North Creek, NY. These past winters, she has competed with the Glens Falls Nordic and Alpine teams.
Dorothy is committed to Cornell University, where she will be studying Communications and Biology next fall.
Ryan Healy is the son of Melissa Ferrie-Healy and Michael Healy of Glens Falls. He is very active in his school and community. He competes on the cross country, swimming/diving, and the indoor & outdoor track teams.
Ryan is an AP Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society, Key Club, and Math Team. As a cellist in the High School Orchestra and Strolling Strings, he has participated in the All-County and Area All-State Orchestras. Ryan served as the Senior Patrol Leader for his local Boy Scout troop for two years and continues to work on earning his Eagle Scout rank.
Ryan plans to study Business at the University of Delaware in the fall.
Fiona Bombard is the daughter of Brian Bombard of Glens Falls and Amy Collins of Queensbury. She has been actively involved in both her school and community. Fiona is a member of the National Honor Society and International Action Club, both of which she has volunteered for in events such as Special Olympics Bowling, Salvation Army bell-ringing, and beautifying Crandall Park.
She is a three-year member of the varsity volleyball team and was a captain for both her junior and senior years. Fiona has additionally played with Storm Volleyball Club for the past two seasons. She is a recipient of the AP Scholar Award and is a Foothills Council Honorable Mention for volleyball. On weekends and breaks, Fiona enjoys working at Lox of Bagels in Queensbury.
Fiona will attend the University of Vermont to study Psychology.
Julia Kress is the daughter of Kerry Woodworth and Kurt Kress of Glens Falls. She enjoys making art, and participated in the Olympics of the Visual Arts where her team won first place in the categories of fashion and architecture. She has displayed her art pieces in the Hyde Juried High School Art Exhibition, as well as having artwork published in the 2022 edition of Talent Unlimited.
In 11th and 12th grade she was a member of the school’s Varsity Alpine Ski Team which finished third in sectionals this year, as well as a member of the Varsity Tennis Team, where she was the first singles player. During her junior year, she received the Alfred University Outside of Ordinary Award. She has been the secretary of the Art Club for two years where she helped design and paint one of the murals downtown. She was also a member of Cast with Care, Environmental Club, International Club, Math Team, National Honor Society, Quiz Team, and helped create the school’s Book Club.
She will be attending Rochester Institute of Technology to study Architecture and Industrial Design.